1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to both a frame and a curtain barrier assembly that can be used to support such curtain barriers as welding screens and curtain barriers.
2. Discussion of Related Art
In the past, curtain barrier assemblies have used complicated attachment schemes for the frame and the curtain barrier that require tools and/or threaded fasteners. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,035 discloses an assembly 10 of a pair of space dividers, that can be used as welding screens. A screen 10 is composed of a pair of frames 11 and 12 pivotally interconnected by hinge assemblies 13. A frame 11 may include a top corner frame member 14, a bottom corner frame member 15, an interconnecting top corner frame member 16 and an interconnecting bottom corner frame member 17. The corner frame members 14, 15, 16 and 17 are attached to each other by vertical and horizontal straight tube sections 29 that are telescopically received in the outer end portions 18 and 19 of the corner frame members. The tube sections 29 are retained in the corner frame members by rotating the thumb screws 25 through a threaded nut 20 so that they engage the telescoped ends of the straight tubes 29.
The bottom frame members 15 and 17 are designed to have either leg members 31 alone or conventional platform legs 34 support the frame 11. In the latter case, the upstanding leg portion 36 of each platform leg is telescopically received in leg member 31 of each corner frame member 15. Thumb screws 25 are then threadedly advanced through weld nuts 20 to engage the leg portions 36.
Once a frame 11 or 12 is assembled, a screen material 27 is attached by ties 28 to frames 11 and 12.
The above-mentioned use of thumb screws can provide complications during assembly. For example, it is often difficult to create enough torque on the thumb screws to adequately tighten the frame members and so some type of pliers may be needed to properly tighten the thumb screws. In addition, the thumb screws often prove incapable of preventing the platform legs from moving no matter the amount of torque applied to the thumb screws.